Separate teams of CBI were searching the premises of MLAs K N Tripathi (Congress) at Palamau, Suresh Paswan (RJD) at Deogarh and Vishnu Bhaiyya (BJP) at Jamtara, besides their Ranchi-based residences, a CBI official said.

The March 30 election was countermanded following allegations of certain candidates trying to reach the Upper House through horse-trading.

CBI officials said the sleuths were also conducting raids in the residences of Agarwal and his son-in-law Soumitra Saha in Jamshedpur and another of his relative R K Saha in Chaibasa.

Agarwal is the president of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce.

CBI registers case

The probe agency on Saturday lodged an FIR in the alleged corruption in Jharkhand Rajya Sabha elections. CBI sources said a case has been registered under section 171F and 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

Section 171F deals with "undue influence or personation" at an election with a maximum punishment of one year or fine or both while Sec 188 deals with punishment of six months imprisonment, or fine of 1,000 rupees, or both for disobeying orders of an authority.

The CBI had on Thursday lodged an FIR after obtaining the original FIR registered with the Namkum police station following the recovery of Rs 2.15 crore from a vehicle on poll day.

The cash was seized allegedly from the vehicle registered in the name of Agarwal's brother, Suresh, according to the FIR.